Transport including flying

There are a number of options available for travelling in and around Amersham, other than by a petrol or diesel vehicle which are more climate friendly, in that they entail lower or no carbon emissions.

BUSES

Amersham is on a number of bus routes. The links below list the bus timetables and give a map which shows the routes and stops.

• https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/transport-and-roads/buses-and-trains/bus-timetables/
• https://old.buckscc.gov.uk/media/3724796/amersham-apr14.pdf

CARS

Petrol and diesel vehicles emit a lot of carbon and pollute the atmosphere. There are ways of reducing carbon emissions, without changing your vehicle. For example, a car driven at 70 to 80 mph uses a lot more fuel than one driven at 50 mph. So by slowing down and taking a little longer over your journey, you can cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, save fuel and money.

Turning off the engine when the vehicle is parked makes a difference too, saving fuel and reducing pollution.

Car sharing is an obvious way of cutting down car-related emissions and saving money.

Taking public transport instead may be an option and best of all, for those who have the time and fitness, is walking or cycling

CYCLING

Cycling is an increasingly popular form of exercise and recreation. There are a number of cycle racks for parking cycles in Amersham, and more are planned. Cycle routes are described on various websites including , for example, the Chiltern Society’s:

https://chilternsociety.org.uk/chilterns-cycleway/

There are a variety of cycling groups that anyone wishing to cycle can join, for example: https://www.letsride.co.uk/breeze

FLYING and OVERSEAS TRAVEL

Air travel entails significant carbon emissions. Frequent flyers have a much bigger carbon footprint from their travels than those who only fly once or twice a year. The further you fly the greater the carbon emissions. Travelling business class has a much bigger carbon footprint than travelling in economy. Where possible, taking a train is a much greener form of travel e.g. if travelling within Britain, or going to Europe (taking the Eurostar)

The aviation industry accounts for at least 5 % of global carbon emissions. A return flight from London to San Francisco emits around 5.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per person – more than twice the emissions produced by a family car in a year. Even a return flight from London to Berlin emits around 0.6 tonnes CO2e – three times the emissions saved from a year of recycling.

Emissions from planes are rising rapidly – they increased by 32% between 2013 and 2018. While improving fuel efficiency is gradually reducing the emissions per passenger, it is not keeping up with the rapid increase in total passenger numbers, which are projected to double in the next 20 years.